A Full Day in Göteborg (and the GGA)

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I am becoming very good at coming up with stuff on the fly, and finding interesting things to do with my time.

Like yesterday for example... I was going off the suggestion from a German in Norway about what to do in Sweden! Mirjam stressed that I HAD to check out the southern archipelago off the coast of Gothenburg; so I did.

I took a tram to the ferry terminal on the edge of town, and spoke with a very helpful lady at the ticket office who set me up with the perfect pass for me and pointed me in the right direction to the island that I should visit, if not any others; and she was absolutely right!

I found myself aboard a ferry making all island stops to the most southern island of the archipelago called Vrångö. It was a really windy and slightly chilly day, however, I toughed it out to get the view, and sat on the upper sundeck.

When we got there, we being like the 8 people left on the boat, I set off in my own direction, but following the general direction of the nature hike path.

I strayed a little bit, because who wants to follow the beaten path? So lame.

I found a little peak that allowed me to get some great shots of the island and the surrounding area over the water.

Today I also learned an important life lesson - don't try and jump further than you are capable of, especially when it involves water. Wet feet are not fun, definitely not fun when you have a 2km hike ahead of you either, when you'd rather listen to the untouched sounds of nature instead of your feet squeaking in your boots.

With my socks and gloves wrung out and tied to my backpack to air dry, I set off, somewhat on the path this time, around the perimeter of Vrångö. Some great views along the way, but what was most stunning to me, was when I reached the end of the path.

There in front of me was probably the most beautiful, most perfect neighbourhood I have ever seen. You have to remember that this island is only accessible by boat, there are no cars allowed, and no crime exists so no need for police either. The grass was undoubtedly greener on this side and I seriously felt like I was dreaming. The pictures attached definitely don't do it justice.

I wandered through the gravel streets in awe, and ended up back at the ferry port where I entered the small café just off the water. I had a delectable Apple coffee cake with a vanilla pudding like cream on top, and a cup of coffee... It was so nice outside that I took my fika, as they say in Sweden, out to eat on the patio in the sun.

The boat pulled up to take me away from perfection, but that was ok with me, I know that if I don't end up retiring in Gudvangen back in Norway, it will be here instead!

Another thing I've learned, is that you can plan all you want, but ferries will take longer than you expect, music stores will have sales, and museums will close earlier than you expected. My history teacher's travelling advice of 'go with the flow' is now always in the back of my head, and that's exactly what I did.

The Volvo museum, which I initially intended to check out, was closing an hour after I got back from the archipelago, so there was no realistic way for me to pay a visit given the time it takes to get there, etc. This wasn't absolutely devastating to me as I only learned of its existence the day before, so I decided to wander back towards the city centre instead and eventually make my way to the botanical garden of Gothenburg (can you see a theme here??).

I was walking down a street and looked up at a sign that read Waffles To Go... Well of course I have to get one! Topped with icing sugar, strawberries, whipped cream and white chocolate sauce, I devoured it pretty quickly and continued on my journey

I haven't brought this up until not but it's been happening extremely frequently, and I can't hold off telling you all any longer, because today was the freakiest of all. You know what a doppelgänger is right? Someone who looks strikingly like someone else? Well I swear I have seen the doppelgänger of almost everyone I have ever met, today's creepiest being my sister. I was so sure it was her for a split second, I almost opened my mouth and said something!

Anyways, back to the story, just thought I'd share that with you... It's probably just a sign that I miss all of you.

As I was saying, It's always nice to stroll around the downtown and get the different vibes in each city. However, I quickly found in my short visit to Gothenburg, that the nicest vibes in the city were not in the city, city at all, but in the immaculate gardens that, I would say, characterize the second largest metropolis in the country.

I did eventually make it to the botanical garden and it was absolutely worth the voluntary 20kr I payed to get in without knowing it was voluntary until I got it, aha.

The nicest one I have visited so far was more in bloom that any of the others and had a way more diverse selection of plants, and even a rock garden and bamboo thicket! It was pretty cool to be in nature in the middle of the city at the same time. Again, I'm sure it would be spectacular in the summer time, but it was pretty nuts at the end of April as well!

I wandered back out in the general direction of my hostel, and ventured through another picturesque neighbour hood, with the prettiest houses. You'll see in the pictures, and it was right on the edge of the garden too so it was relatively quiet and still in the heart of the natural world.

I really didn't do that much on Friday, but as you can tell by the description and length of this entry, I thoroughly enjoyed myself!

I walked through yet another park, this time the Slottsskogen park, to get back to my accommodations, another beautifully maintained park than lots of Gothenburgers were enjoys as well. Oh oh, and there was a slide, like the slide in the zoo back in Peterborough but longer and more intense... Of course 18 year-old me went down and shot out the bottom, greeted by little kids playing in the vicinity. WORTH IT!

Finally back at the hostel after another crazy day of walking, I met my new roommate for the night, a Chinese guy studying in Denmark and writing an English proficiency exam in Sweden this morning. Talk about cultured 😉

I made dinner while conversing with a lovely old Swedish lady and a French guy from Paris, who I later learned was there for a Ju-Jitsu tournament!

Then, it was bed time, excited to move on yet again, the following morning.

- NB

PS. There are more IKEAs in the GTA than I've seen in all of Sweden so far.

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Photos

Feets
Drying my feet and pants in the brief sunshine!

Yum!
My coffee cake and coffee

Totally planned
You can kinda see the statue here, it was definitely planned on purpose so the sun shines through like that once a day... At least I think

Colours!
Colourful houses on the second wow neighbourhood of the day.